A young man from Mitchells Plain believes he is a walking miracle after he was held up at gunpoint twice and both times the weapon jammed.
Imtiyaaz Joshua, 17, also survived meningitis, being shot at, and growing up in a house where mense smokkelled with drugs.
However, Joshua believes that his life was spared for a reason: to make a difference in his generation, especially with all the crime.
The aspiring pastor from Tafelsig completed matric last year and immediately went into ministering.
Joshua said he chose to do this because his spirit had told him that he needed to help change the current situation youngsters find themselves in.
“I believe God is still in the business of transforming people’s lives, especially the young people,” he explained.
“He moulded me to be the person I am today, through all those experiences and I just want my generation to know that tough times don’t last but tough people do.”
Joshua recalled the night where he almost lost his life twice.
“It was two years ago. My grandpa got a call that his brother was rushed to hospital. I went with and because only two people could go in [due to pandemic restrictions] I stayed in the car.
“This was in the Steenberg area, an area I don’t know well. I asked the security if I could park inside the hospital grounds, he said no.
“So I walked back to the car, it was 11.30pm. I began to pray like I never prayed before.”
Joshua said 15 minutes later while making a post on Facebook he saw three men standing around the car and a shadow at the driver’s window.
“The guy knocked the gun against the window. When I rolled down he asked where the driver of the car was. I told him it’s an old man, and he started to get rude.
“The next moment he took the gun and cocked it against my head, he pulled the trigger but the gun jammed.
“One of the other guys then came around, also cocked their gun, put it against my head and that gun also jammed.”
The youngster said that since then he knew he needed to tell people about the power of prayer: “I know I would have lost my life that day but I also know that God was busy working and that prayer is powerful.”
tracy-lynn.ruiters@inl.co.za